Container



7 g fl/ r zeffi'ilaimm J1me 1939. E. G. ELLSTROM 6 CONTAINER Filed Oct. '7, 1935 INVENTOR.

P June 21,1939

' UNITED S ATE AT NT osrlcs Elliot 6.. Ellstrom, I AM! October 7, 1!, Salt! N0. 43)! 4 claims. (Cl. 229-53) ;-lly'present invention relates to improvements 7 in containers, and, more particularly to paper, or

flbrous cans with suitable metallic end closures at; tached thereto.

is Paper, or fibrous cans, I am aware, have been 1 extensively and successfully used for packing certain dryproducts, and, I am also aware that considerablejdii'iiculty has been encountered in attempts to' improve such'containers-for packing lfluids and liquids, and to my knowledge such attempts have resulted in failures, a dit is, therefore, the primary object of my invention to provide a paper can with metal end closures attached thereto that will be leak-proof as to fluids and liquids, as well as to dry products having oily contents which produce gases, especially at the joints where the closures are seamed to the can body, and thereby provide a can whichis a distinct and practical improvement to overcome certainpractlcal objections to, and defects in the construction of the present well known types of paper or fibrous containers having metal end closures attached thereto.

An object of my invention is to provide a paper, orflbrous can body, either convolutely or heiically wound, with outstanding flanges formed on the ends thereof.

A further object of the invention is to roll metal flanges on end closure members into interlocking engagement with initially outstanding flanges 'on the ends of paper or fibrous can 'bodies, and, in so doing, fold the body flanges relative to the can l body and beyond the outer face thereof, and compress the folded body flanges into the form of as bead-like gaskets circumferentlally of the can body ends.

A further object of the invention is to fold the can body flanges so that the end faces thereof will be disposed facing each other when the outstand- 140 lug flanges on the metal end closure members have been forced -into interlocked engagement with the can body flanges so that fluid or liquid contents of a container cannot, due to joint resistance, gain accessto the end faces of the body flanges and then by capillary attraction saturate the inner body flbres to weaken the body structure and finally cause leakage.

A still further object of the inventionisthe provision of a container-which possesses advantag'es in points of simplicity and efllcienoy, and, at

' the same time proves itself comparatively inex-' pensive in cost of manufacture.

.With the above and other objects in view, the

invention consists in the novel features of conto struction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described and flnally' pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the accompanying drawing form'- ing a part of this specification, wherein like characters of reference denote similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in sectional elevation of one embodiment of a can body.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 after the ends. 1. of the body have been outwardlyflanged.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a onepiece end closure member seated'in and on one of the flanged ends thereofbefore' being secured thereto. i

Fig.4 is a detail of one end'of a can body show ing the first operation of rolling a closure member flange into interlocking engagementwith one of the can body flanges and in such operation folding the body flange relative to the body. v 1

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing a follow-up operation of rollingthe closure member flange into interlocking engagement with the body flange and compressing the body flange material to providea head-like gasket circumferentially 35 of the body.

Fig. 6. is a side elevation of a fibre can body provided with one form of metal end closures. A

Fig. 7 is a detail showing a can end closure formed of two pieces of metal.

In order that there may be no possible chance of leakage at the joints where the peripheral edge portion of suitable metal endclosures are secured to the ends'of the fibrous body'of ,the can, such edge portions of the end closures are rolled into 35 interlockedengagement with paper body flanges by a seaming operation which folds the paper body flanges relative-to the body so that the end faces of the body flanges face each other beyond on opposite ends of the body. The .end closures may be of one-piece construction, as shown in Fig. 6, or one closure, preferably thetop closure, may be of a construction made up of two or more metal pieces, such,.for instance, as a-dome-shaped closure member with a screw-threaded cap, or a ring 'or collar member with a removable closure member attached thereto. All of which constructions are well known in the pape can art.

The can be either of -.convolutely if wound construction with the desired number of paper or fibrous plies, or ofhelical wound construction with the desired number of plies.

In the one embodiment of the can body construction, as shown, there maybe associated with the paper, or fibrous body material 3, a suitable leak proofing material 4 to provide a leak-proof access to the end faces of the fibrous body flanges, which prevents any possible chance of body construction. Inlieu of the leak-proofing material 4, as shown, the body may be coated inside and outside with a suitable leak-proofing material which may be sprayed, or otherwise applied thereto. The type of can body, as well as j the types of end closures may be varied, as desired; but, I do want to stress the point that the securing of the peripheral edge portions of the end closure members to initially outstanding flanges on the ends of the can body, is an essential feature of my invention, whether the end closures are made of one, or more pieces of metal. After-the can body has been formed, the ends of the body are provided with outstanding flanges 5, preferably, although not necessarily, arouately shaped by suitable means for such purpose, and such flanges are clearly shown inFig. 2. Suitable metal end closures 2 of any type, as is well known in the paper can art, may be employed, as long as they embody a member having a vertical wall portion 6 andan outstanding continuous flange portion 1.

The can is formed first with only one closure member secured to the body by seaming roll operations, and after the cam has been filled with the desired contents, dry, fluid or liquid, the other end closure is secured to the other end of the can body.

After the can body I has been formed, either 1 before or after the ends thereof have been The next step in the forming of "the can is the application of -a closure member designated 2 having the vertical wall 6 and the flange l to the one end of the fibrous can body I: The closure member is seated' in such end of the body I with the outstanding flange I thereon resting upon and projecting the desired distance, 'beyondthe edge of the body-flange 5. The closure member is engaged by a suitablatool 9 which also engages the inner faces of the sidewall 6 of such member. A suitable seaming roll I!) is then broimht into contact with the flange I which rolls the flange do nwardly, inwardly and slightly upwardly into nterlockingengagement with the body flange, and, in so doing, folds the body flange downwardly relative to the body ,I so that the end face of the body flange faces the opposite'end of the body and with the metal flange encasing the body flange.

A second, or follow-up seaming roll II is then brought into action and the flange I is flattened. out somewhat, thereby compressing the flbrous body flange material so as to form a continuous bead-like gasket designated 1', as

shown in Fig. 6. The flange 1 being rolled into interlocking engagement with the body flange renders it impossible for leaks to become established in the joint between the metal flange l and the body flange, which body flange, when folded, in reality, serves "as a gasket at the end of the body and circumferentialiy thereof. This type of joint which is irregularly shaped and relatively long, sets up sufilcient resistance to fluids and'liquids to prevent same finding its way by creepage to the end faces of the body flanges, and, thereby prevents fluids and liquids finding the fluids or liquids entering the fibrous body material from the end faces thereof, and thereafter by capillary attraction and saturation or soaking the fibrous body material from within to weaken the structure. This prevents loss of capacity of can contents by what I call a wicking process and alsothereby prevents contents of the can leaking therefrom.

After the can has been filled with the desired contents, another metal end closure member 2 if of one-piece construction, is applied to the can in the same manner as the other end closure member was attached or secured thereto, and if such other closure member is of two-piece construction, the one member of the closure can be attached to the 'body before the can is filled.

Where there is no leak-proofing material, such as I, co-acting with the body material 3, a can body made only of paper or fibrous material 3 may be coated with any suitable leak-proofing solution to make it leak-proof, as is manifest.

From-the foregoing description, it is apparent that I provide a fluid and liquid tight can, of the combination fibre body and metal end type construction, which is practical for oils, paints, lard, cotton seed oil products; alcohol, coffee and many other oily and greasy products, whereas with the present construction of paper or fibre cans having no folded-over end flange encased in a metal covering, all leak by wicking the contents of the can. i

The many advantages of the herein described invention will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

From the foregoing description, it is evident that a simple device for this purpose has been disclosed, but it is to be understood that I do not desire to restrict, or limit myself to the very details of the construction shown and described, which is merely illustrative, it being obvious that changes, not involving the exercise of invention, may 'be made without conflicting or departing from the spirit of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: I

1. In a can construction, in combination, a fibrous body having a leak-proof lining, said body having outward end folds lying parallel with the body, metal end closures for the ends of the body, flanges on the metal end closures in interlocking engagement with the body folds to provide leaktight joints therebetween and substantially compress the end portions of the body folds to prevent wicking of the can contents through the ends of the body folds.

2. A can comprising a fibrous body, outward folds formed. on the ends of the body, sheet metal closures seated on the ends of the body, flanges on the closures seamed to the body folds in such fashion as to inwardly fold the ends of the closure flanges to be disposed in inclined positions between the body and the body folds to seal the body folds to prevent contents of the can finding achold fluids and liquids in well as dry products in a sealed condition, which is characterized by torming a tubular body of paper. material having its interior wall impervious to fluids and liquids,

forming outwardly curved flanges on the ends of the'body; seating metal end closures into the ends'ot the bodyand contacting flanges on the closures with the curved body'flanges, and rolling the metal closure flanges toward eachother to fo ded body-flanges to tightly seal the endsof the body flanges by encasing same with the clo sure flanges to prevent wicking of can contents through the ends of the body flanges.

.4. In a can construction for lubricating oil and the like, a fibrous body having a leak-proof linlng, outer folds on the end of the and metal end closures having flanges encasing thebody folds in such fashion as to compress the ends of the body-'tolds to positively seal the ends-of the 1 body foldsagainst wicklng contents oi the can. 

